Intervention on Lords Spiritual (Women) Act (Extension) Bill

On 14 November 2024, I intervened in the debate on the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (Extension) Bill, which aims to increase female representation among the bishops who sit in the House of Lords. It seeks to extend the provisions of the 2015 Act for a further five-year period, allowing vacancies among the lords spiritual to be filled by female diocesan bishops if available.

I made the following contribution: 

I thank the Minister, who is doing a fantastic job of ensuring, through the Bill, that women are represented at every level; in the 21st century, we should not be talking about firsts for women.

In the spirit of colleagues who have intervened already, may I ask my hon. Friend to recognise the brilliant role played by the first black woman to be Speaker’s Chaplain here in the House of Commons? The Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin then rose to be Bishop of Dover; I am thinking also of the Reverend Tricia Hillas, who also served as Speaker’s Chaplain. Parliament is seen as an important place for the representation of women and I very much support the Minister in ensuring that the Bill makes progress.